


Love in a Hopeless Place

by Laci_Taleweaver



Category: Dragon Ball
Genre: F/M, Family Bonding, Frieza is REALLY EXCEPTIONALLY brutal in this one, Gore, Grimdark, M/M, Mating Bites, Mating Bond, Multi, Sexual Sadism, Slavery, dub-con, non-con, split personality, this fic is ALL OF THE TRIGGER WARNINGS
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-07
Updated: 2018-02-03
Packaged: 2018-12-25 02:39:42
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 9
Words: 10,448
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12026382
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Laci_Taleweaver/pseuds/Laci_Taleweaver
Summary: This is based on some deliciously naughty work by the talentedB-chan.  Be warned:  this AU isvery, very DARK.If rape, sadism, and torture aren't your thing, then this is definitely NOT the fic for you.  Characters are going to suffer a LOT before we reach anything remotely resembling a happy ending here.





	1. Chapter 1:  End of All Hope

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Doodle](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/321519) by SaiyanB. 



> A/N: This is not one of those songfics, but all chapter titles are song lyrics. Have fun identifying them all! And, yeah, I'm kind of easing into the gore and stuff. Compared to what I've got planned, this chapter is fairly tame. And don't feel too bad about Chichi--she actually gets off _easy_ compared to the others.  
>  This fic starts in AGE 760, a year before Raditz would have landed in canon. Assume all canon events from before that have happened here.

Kui fired again. The natives on this planet were pitifully weak. Strange that the originally-assigned purger hadn't been able to do his job. The wildlife must have gotten him; there were a lot of dinosaurs and other predators that his team had had to deal with.

  
There wasn't much in this area besides large predators, to be honest. Kui probably wouldn't run into any sentients in a place like this-- _Oh?_

Just as he'd thought that, Kui reached a clearing with two small houses in it. One was dilapidated and clearly hadn't been used for some time, but in front of the other, he saw a woman and a small child of about three or four years.

  
The boy had a tail. A _Saiyan_ tail. And the assigned purger to this planet 19 years ago had been Saiyan.

  
Could he have survived after all? Well, the Saiyans that were left had been broken to Frieza's will; if the child was Saiyan, Frieza would want to know about it. He got out his tranq gun; Frieza was running out of "toys" and had asked him to keep a handful of likely specimens alive. A Saiyan child would just be icing on the cake. Kui might even get a promotion for this. He fired. The child slumped to the ground, out cold.

The woman was giving him too much trouble. She seemed to be a trained fighter. A feisty woman like that would be perfect for Frieza, but in fighting her off, Kui hit her in the head a little too hard. The black-haired woman fell and did not rise again. A small pool of blood formed around her head where it trickled from her nose and mouth.

A signal beeped from Kui's scouter. A strong ki was coming from his eight o'clock.

He just had time to turn around and ready the tranq gun before an angry man in orange, riding a golden cloud, came in for a rapid landing. "Chichi! Gohan!" He saw the two bodies on the ground and turned angrily on the soldier. "What did you do to--" Kui barely had to break a sweat.

He brought the two unconscious men back to the ship. It was a shame about the woman, but there were probably millions more beautiful sentients on this planet. For now, anyway. He'd head to one of the major cities once these two were secured.


	2. Chapter 2: Zero

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Goku and Raditz meet--and it goes _very_ differently from the show's canon.  
>  And yes, I am choosing the chapter headings for a reason.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, if you were wondering how the muse-image played into things, or where the Explicit rating came from, you're about to find out.

Bulma woke up with a pounding headache. She was still in her tank top and shorts, and Launch was in the cell with her. Yamcha was in an adjoining cell.

  
And the cell was moving. They were in some kind of vehicle. A really big one, apparently. And in the cell across from her--was that Son Goku? And a kid? But where was Chichi? What was going on?

She suddenly remembered hideous creatures breaking into her West City home, grabbing her, laughing as she struggled. One of them hit her with some kind of dart...and now she was here.

The news had been on TV. She'd been watching the news when they came. _Think_ , Bulma, what were they saying? Something about people dying, an alien invasion...

Aliens. She was on an alien spaceship! Bulma Briefs and her friends had been abducted by aliens.

A sob from Goku's cell pulled her back to the present.

"Son-kun? Are you all right?"

"They--they killed Chichi! Right in front of our son!" Goku tried to blink back the tears as he held the child--his son--closer, as if clinging to the boy would make the nightmare go away.

The boy whimpered. He looked to be only three or four. "Daddy, I'm scared!" Bulma's heart broke. The poor kid. He'd lost his mother at that age...and what else was going to happen to him?

She supposed she'd find out when they got to wherever they were going.

* * *

 

_**Two weeks later** _

An alert beeped on the scouters of all three Saiyans at once.

  
_"Vegeta, Nappa, and Raditz, please report to Lord Frieza immediately,"_ said the tinny computer-generated alert voice.

The Prince of Saiyans glared at his two underlings. "What did you idiots do this time?"

The other two Saiyans looked at each other, then back at Vegeta. The prince sighed.

"I swear, if he's managed to find fault with our last mission, I will send BOTH of you to the medtanks!"

* * *

"Another Saiyan, sir?"

"Yes," replied their cold-blooded employer. "He appears to have been living on a planet called Earth."

Raditz immediately perked up. "Then...Kakarot's still alive?"

Frieza pressed a button in the armrest of his floating chair. "Bring them in."

The door opened, and a very puzzled young man and his tiny son were escorted in by Appule. Neither was in anything remotely resembling traditional Saiyan garb nor the armor worn by Frieza's army, but the resemblance of the young man to Bardock was uncanny.

Raditz immediately ran to embrace his brother. "Kakarot! I haven't seen you since you were a baby! What have you been doing all these years?"

The boy looked up at the long-haired stranger who was hugging his father. "Daddy, who's this?"

"I don't know, son." Raditz thought his heart might break. His only relative had forgotten him?

"You mean you don't remember your big brother, Raditz? I know it's been a long time, but I had hoped--"

"I don't know any of you. My name is Son Goku, and this is my son, Gohan. They said at the medical office that I'm not really from Earth, but I don't remember ever living anywhere else. And now...Chichi is gone, and..." Goku trembled, trying to hold back his tears. He _would not_ cry in front of all these strangers.

"Well," Frieza chortled, "this _is_ entertaining."

"Kakarot--Goku--this isn't how I'd ever hoped I'd find my little brother, but if there's anything I can do to help you, anything at all, I swear I'll do it."

"As it happens," Frieza cut in, "There is."

Bardock's sons turned to the tyrant, confused.

"You see, there can be some benefit to having more little monkeys around, but only if they're properly trained and obedient. You will make sure this Kakarot and his brat learn quickly, or I may change my mind about keeping _any_ of you around."

The fur stood up on three tails, as Vegeta, Nappa, and Raditz were all well aware that Frieza did not make idle threats.

"You have one month to get these two in shape. They will be staying with you in your barracks, and all your missions are suspended for the next three days while you procure supplies and show them around. That will be all."

  
The three veteran Saiyans quickly ushered the newcomers out of the office. It was common knowledge in the PTO forces that you did _not_ stay in Frieza's office after he had dismissed you.

 

* * *

  
"So who was that guy?" Goku asked, as the three men--Saiyans--showed him to the barracks.

"That was Lord Frieza," Vegeta snorted. "Our employer. You certainly didn't make the best first impression, _third-class_."

"Go easy on him, Vegeta," Nappa said, trying to defuse the tension. "The boy said himself, he's forgotten everything. Probably got hit in the head--I used to see all kinds of damage from that back during the war."

"Actually, yeah--I still have the scar from it," Goku replied. "The first thing I remember from my childhood is waking up at my adoptive grandpa's house."

The earth-raised Saiyan began to tell the story of his childhood to the people who, in some strange way, were almost a new family.

* * *

  
Meanwhile, Bulma had been taken into the medical office and thoroughly examined. Because she was female, she was fitted with an IUD. "After all, we don't yet know which species are and are not cross-fertile with yours, and we don't want any _accidents_."

Bulma had no intention of having sex with any of these weird people! She had a boyfriend! He was even here, on this very planet, in this very base! And while this wasn't the best time for her and Yamcha to start a family, that didn't mean she wanted some total stranger making these choices about her body for her!

"You and the others will be brought to Lord Frieza's chambers soon." The doctor gave her a tiny bundle of cloth. "He'll want you to wear this."

Bulma recoiled in horror as she realized that she was basically being given the lower half of Princess Alma's infamous "slavery escape" outfit from the _Space Wars_ trilogy.

"There is no way in hell I'm wearing that!" she cried, throwing the offending item back at the alien medic.

She was surprised to see a concerned frown on the face of this near-stranger. "I'm afraid you won't have a choice. Lord Frieza doesn't exactly play nice."


	3. Chapter 3: Violence Fetish

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bulma discovers her new role at Frieza's base. Oh hey, is that ANOTHER MAJOR CHARACTER DEATH? Yeah. That's happening.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From here on out, the fic WILL live up to those tags and trigger warnings, so please stop reading NOW if you're not into that. I won't judge--in fact, you stopping here means you have better judgement than I do. Just writing this fic probably means I'm going to hell.

Bulma, Yamcha, and Launch were ushered into Frieza's private quarters, all wearing those horrible loincloths.  Bulma privately thought that her boyfriend looked pretty damn good with his muscular torso exposed, but the situation was too tense to bring it up.  Besides, there had to be something sinister going on.  This Frieza guy was probably planning something nasty, but she wasn't quite sure what it was yet.

"Um...hello?  Mr. Frieza?"  From the shadows, a hoverchair turned, revealing...oh, gross!  This Frieza guy was the most hideous living creature Bulma had ever seen.   _Please tell me he doesn't want sex.  Please, oh please._

Frieza's predatory grin was not reassuring her at all on that score.

"So, Dodoria. You've certainly earned a reward," Frieza purred sadisticly.

Which one was--oh Kami, was he that purple guy with the spikes? Was she gonna have to fuck a guy with spikes?

Frieza's eyes scanned the terrified Earthlings.  "How about the scarred-up fellow?  You always did have a weakness for young men."   _No_ , thought Bulma.   _Not Yamcha!  Not the man I love!_

Yamcha himself was trying to look very small, and failing.  Dodoria smirked and grabbed him, easily dragging him to the center of the room.  He was obviously much stronger than the former bandit.

"Hey!" Yamcha cried.  "What are you gonna--" his voice was cut off with a gagging sound as an enormous purple cock was shoved into his mouth.

Bulma could only stare in horror.  It would be one thing if her lover were enjoying this, but Yamcha was clearly unhappy--and even if he'd been into guys, she doubted he'd be into Dodoria.  This...this was monstrous!  He was being forced to--

"GNAAAAH!" Dodoria screamed and flung Yamcha at the wall. "The little fucker BIT me!"

Yamcha hit the wall at just the right angle to snap his neck instantly.  He flopped to the ground like a rag doll.  Bulma screamed.  The sudden shock of it kept her brain from being able to process any of what was going on.  She stared at the spot where Yamcha lay dead, as if he were about to leap up, unharmed, at any moment.

"Please, Mr. Frieza, Mr. Dodoria," Launch babbled. "I--I'll do whatever you want! I promise!"

Bulma had fallen silent. She just stared, disbelieving. Her lover had been alive and healthy just five minutes ago. And now he was dead. Because he refused to perform fellatio on a brutal alien. This...this was her _life_ now. She'd gone from the wealthiest, most powerful young woman on an entire planet; someone whose travels, while exciting, had rarely put her into any _real_ danger; to the sex slave of a ruthless alien overlord.

What was this?  How could anybody do these things?  What had she ever done to deserve the sight of her Yamcha, nearly naked and dead on the floor?

These questions would swirl around her mind, unanswered, for years.


	4. Chapter 4:  Photographs and Memories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Goku learns about Saiyan living arrangements, and Bulma starts plotting revenge.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: After much thought, I've decided to continue this fic. Is it problematic? YES. For a lot of reasons. However, one of those reasons is not "glorifying slavery." I am going to make it 100% clear that slavery is terrible. You may want to vomit at some points.  
> I'd also like to point out that I do not in any way condone slavery or human trafficking IRL. It is a horrible thing. If you support slavery, genocide, etc. then please feel free to fuck RIGHT off. I neither want nor need your support. (Consensual BDSM is not the same thing. Y'all are okay.)

Today was just full of surprises. On top of learning that Kakarot was alive (albeit brain-damaged) and had a son, apparently the Namekian wishing orbs were real, and there had been some Namekians on Earth. (There weren't any now, of course. Kakarot had paused at once point to comment, "I don't feel Piccolo's ki, so that means they're both gone.") There was also, apparently, a way to sense the power levels of one's opponents _without a scouter_ , which was simultaneously the sort of thing they ought to report to Frieza and the sort of thing they would never, in a million years, report to Frieza.

After devouring a massive meal in the mess, the five ( _Five!_ ) Saiyans returned to their barracks. There were three bedrooms leading off of the squad common area. Only three. The other doors led to a bathroom and a linen closet.

Goku rubbed at his old scar in confusion. "So, where are Gohan and I supposed to sleep tonight?"

Raditz grinned and put an arm around his brother's shoulder. "The three of us are family, so you'll be sleeping in my room." He indicated the earth-raised Saiyans' old clothes. "I'm sure we can find a place for those, if you still wanna keep 'em."

* * *

 

Saiyan bedrooms, as it turned out, were not much like Earth bedrooms. Yes, there was a bureau in one corner. Yes, there was a chair and a closet. But...there was no bedframe.

A huge mattress lay in the middle of the floor, covered with soft cushions. Several blankets were folded and stacked to one side. 

Gohan seemed to understand right away what the strange bed was for. He grabbed a blanket, curled up in the middle of the mattress, and was asleep surprisingly quickly. Then again, he _had_ had a very exciting day and was probably exhausted.

Goku pulled his wallet out of the pocket of his old gi and sighed. The photos inside were the only thing he had to remind himself of his past. So many friends he'd met during his old adventures...so many faces of the dead smiling back at him.

Raditz looked over Kakarot's shoulder. "Who's that old geezer?"

"That's Muten Roshi. And that one is Bulma and Yamcha, and that's Oolong, an'"--he sniffed, trying to hold back tears--"an' Krillin, and that's Chichi." Raditz could tell that his brother needed comfort, and gently pulled him to sit on the edge of the mattress. "I-I wish you could've met her. She was so sweet an' kind, and such a strong fighter, an' a good mother to Gohan..." The tears came against his will as Goku clung to Raditz's chest. "Oh Raditz, what am I gonna do without her?"

Raditz was well out of his depth. He hadn't had such close physical contact since he was a child--well, unless you counted the whores--and wasn't sure how to deal with this. He settled for patting Kakarot's back, whispering that it would be okay, everything would be just fine...and finally, an exhausted Kakarot fell asleep. Raditz carefully removed his brother's armor and boots and set the wallet aside before laying him down on the mattress.

That night, two brothers slept fitfully, a small child cuddled between them.

* * *

 

Bulma didn't sleep well that night either. Every time she closed her eyes, she kept seeing Yamcha lying there with a broken neck. The same man who'd traveled with her and Goku--and where was Goku, anyway? What were they doing to _him?_ \--the boyfriend who'd always known how to make her smile, who'd even laughed it off as they fumbled awkwardly in the bedroom that first time, was gone. Gone. Just like her mother and father. Everyone else they'd known on Earth. Gone. She was alone.

Well, _almost_ alone. Launch had huddled against her, terrified, before sneezing and promising to wring Dodoria's fat neck. Then, exhaustion had claimed her friend, and Launch slept like a baby. Lucky bitch.

Bulma had to get out of here. And she'd have to do it alone--poor Launch would be a liability with that split personality of hers. She just had to wait for a chance. Then, she'd see what she could do to sabotage Frieza's nasty little operation from the inside. No one else was going to suffer like this again.


	5. Chapter 5: I was Up Above It (But Now I'm Down In It)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vegeta loses his position in Frieza's army, and meets an alien girl with blue hair.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Annnnd our two little lovebirds finally meet. But you won't like it~ o/`

Vegeta couldn't believe his rotten luck.

  
Kakarot had suggested that, since there were "dragon balls," as he called them, on Namek, that they go and get them. Vegeta had sent him and Nappa to take care of it as quickly as possible, and had given them very specific instructions on what to wish for. He'd slipped a written copy into Nappa's pod before they left, to make _absolutely sure_ they didn't fuck this up.

  
Meanwhile, he and Raditz would continue training the kid. Gohan was a surprisingly fast learner, and his ki was already growing by leaps and bounds. As long as Frieza didn't find out about the two missing Saiyans, this might work. They might even be able to bring back the glorious Saiyan race and take the tyrant's place as the rightful rulers of the galaxy!

At least, that had been the plan. And of course, the one thing they hadn't been able to control, the one thing they were counting on the most...was the one thing that hadn't worked out.

Frieza had summoned Vegeta to his private office. And he was livid.

"But Prince Vegeta--" Raditz started to beg.

The prince cut him off. "Damn it, Raditz, do you think I _want_ to do this?" He sighed; what he was about to do would be the biggest blow to his pride that Vegeta had ever experienced. "I can't let the entire Saiyan race be destroyed because of Kakarot! Make sure they get their asses back here quickly, and if I don't return within 24 hours, assume the worst and begin Plan B."

Vegeta then began the walk to Frieza's office, feeling as though he were walking to his own execution.

 

* * *

 

 

Frieza sighed at the incoming transmission. Of _course_ Vegeta couldn't keep the little monkeys in line. Probably incompetence rather than treason; even a Saiyan wouldn't be stupid enough to defy him. None of them had a power level even a tenth of his in his base form.

"Kui! Zarbon! Finish up and make yourselves presentable!" The two officers pulled out of the blue-haired alien and quickly pulled up their drawers. Frieza was about to deal with an underling and wouldn't have time to watch them play.

Bulma gagged as she straightened out her loincloth. It was bad enough she had to do this, but Kami, would it kill them to be gentle? Her throat was going to be sore for a week, she just knew it.

"Vegeta, report to my office immediately." The tone of Frieza's voice made it plain that he wanted answers for Vegeta's insubordinate behavior.

Within a few minutes, the little monkey was there, in his office, trying and failing to pretend that nothing was wrong. It was pathetic, really.  "You summoned me, Lord Frieza?"

"Spare me, Vegeta. I already know that two pods have been unaccounted for for eight days, and curiously enough, two of your underlings have been missing for eight days precisely."

Damn. Vegeta was going to have to brazen this through. "Kakarot got some foolish idea in his head about the Namekian Wish Orbs, and I sent Nappa to stop him from wasting his time on a wild shakka-chase. As Nappa was unable to reach Kakarot in time to stop him from stealing a pod, I ordered him to pursue and bring the idiot back here immediately--in pieces, if necessary."

"He made it all the way to the hangar on his own?" Frieza smirked, obviously not believing a word of it. "My my, Vegeta, I'd have thought you'd keep better track of your own men." Vegeta's eyes widened, realizing he was doomed.

"Please, Lord Frieza! As their commanding officer, I take full responsibility for everything!" Sweat covered Vegeta's brow. He was really doing this, gods help him. He was really going to give up everything for the sake of the Saiyan race. At least if those wish orbs really _were_ on Namek, he could be brought back to life.

Frieza laughed. "You really are desperate to keep the little wretches alive, aren't you?"

A cough from a corner of the room drew their attention.

It was Bulma, still trying to clear her throat. Vegeta had never paid attention to Frieza's little "pets" before. They were generally weak enough to be beneath his contempt. And yet....he couldn't help but pity the poor thing; having to pleasure Frieza and his lackeys was a fate worse than death.

"Well, Vegeta, I see you've noticed my latest little addition. Perhaps I'll have you join her." Frieza grinned sadistically as his words sank in.

_Oh gods no I was just joking about the worse than death thing, please just let him kill me instead_ \--Vegeta could only stare in shock and horror. _Not this, anything but this, no no no FUCK NO..._

The Saiyan prince barely even seemed to notice as Zarbon fetched the ki restraints and locked them around his wrists. He gaped, unable to form words to describe his terror. A collar quickly joined the restraints.

Frieza smiled. Yes, this would do nicely. After all, Vegeta was far more intelligent than any of the other monkeys, and with him out of the way, he could easily purge any thoughts of insubordination from their weak little minds. And best of all, he'd enjoy even more satisfaction from putting Vegeta in his place than from simply killing him.

The space tyrant pulled out a sleek metal barb, not unlike a scorpion's, and fitted it to the end of his tail. "Against the wall, monkey," he growled. "And take off the armor."

The shock was starting to wear off. "The hell I will! Once I get these things off, I'm going to--" _ZZAP!_ The pain of the sudden jolt of electricity sent Vegeta to his knees.

Frieza lifted his finger off the button that controlled the shock collar. "Now will you behave, or do we have to do that again?"

Vegeta muttered curses as he unfastened his armor and set it aside. He felt strangely smaller in just the spandex layer, and his inability to access his ki was frightening.

"That's a good monkey," Frieza cooed, hefting his thick tail in his hand. "Now turn and face the wall." Neither of them seemed to notice Bulma, who stared, furious, as Frieza whipped Vegeta with his barbed tail.

Vegeta bit his lip until it bled, trying not to give the tyrant the satisfaction of hearing him cry out. But each time the cruel barb bit into his back, it tore another chunk of flesh with it. His shirt was in bloody tatters in less than a minute, and he was sure he'd lost half the skin from his back. Finally, he could hold back no more and groaned in agony as he slumped to the floor.

He was vaguely aware of a female voice yelling, "Stop! You'll kill him!" as everything went black.

 

* * *

 

 

When Vegeta came to, he was in a dimly-lit cell. His ki shackles and the collar were now connected with a thick chain, presumably because Frieza wanted to make doubly-sure he didn't kill any of his handlers. He was naked--no, he was wearing one of those damnable loincloths. And someone was holding something wet and soothing to his bare back.

"There, I think I've got most of the blood." A woman's voice. "Now, this will hurt." Prickling, stabbing, but hardly enough to cause him any real pain, especially considering the pain he was already in. The stabbing went along each of the great gulfs of pain that were his injuries, slowly, almost as though--was she _sewing him together_? He knew that was common on primitive planets without healing tanks, but...here? Then again, Vegeta probably didn't rate as important enough for a healing tank anymore. He sighed. It hurt.

"Try and hold still," said the woman. "I'm almost done." A few more pricks, a tug as she tied the end of the thread off, and the odd sensation stopped. "Now, do you think you can sit up?"

Vegeta's pride would not allow a no. He winced as he sat, core muscles pulling against the stitches. There was a pile of bloody rags to his right, the only remains of his shirt. His tail lashed from side to side, nearly sweeping his benefactor off her feet.

The woman moved to his left to make it easier to wrap Vegeta in bandages without his tail in the way, and it was _her_. The blue-haired woman from before. (The bandages appeared to be old blankets, torn into strips. They couldn't exactly afford to be picky about where they found clean cloth.)

"I'm surprised you'd do this for me," Vegeta commented as she wound the cloth around and around his torso. After all, they were strangers. He was part of the army that had purged her home planet. And here, mercy tended to be beaten out of you as often as not.

"Frieza hates you, and as far as I'm concerned, that's reason enough to keep you alive. I'm Bulma Briefs." She tied the last of the bandages with a neat knot.

"Crown Prince Vegeta, Fifth of that name, Ruler of all Saiyans, Order of the Oozaru, Clan of Qusach-Who-Bathes-In-The-Blood-Of-His-Enemies."  Another painful sigh.  "Not that any of those titles mean anything anymore."

"Frieza cleared out your planet, too, huh?" Bulma helped the Saiyan prince to lie back down without hurting himself.

"No. Planet Vegeta was hit by a meteor shower and utterly destroyed." His eyes narrowed in sudden suspicion. "At least, that was the official story. Frieza could easily have blown it apart himself."

Bulma couldn't hide her surprise. She'd known her hated enemy was strong, but able to blow up an entire planet? That was orders of magnitude more than anyone she'd ever met could accomplish. Then again, Vegeta had to be pretty strong himself, to be chained up like that. None of the others had been.

"If we get out of here, I want that bastard's head on a pole somewhere." Vegeta raised an eyebrow. This woman may be weak, but she clearly thought like a Saiyan. He'd have to find out what she was good at, so he could decide if she was worth working into his own plans.

But for now, the Saiyan prince just wanted to sleep, and pretend this nightmare would be over in the morning.


	6. Chapter 6:  We've Got The Biggest Balls Of Them All

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wishes are made. It doesn't go at all the way anybody planned.
> 
> **THIS CHAPTER HAS BEEN EDITED SINCE IT WAS FIRST UPLOADED. IF YOU HAVEN'T READ IT SINCE 10/22/17, PLEASE RE-READ.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A gentle reminder that things aren't getting any better for Vegeta for a good long while. Things will end happily, but I kinda want him to go through Hell first. And yes, the title is referring to the Dragon Balls, not the other kind. This chapter is a nice little break from everybody's suffering.
> 
> My headcanon regarding Saiyan sex: Saiyans don't really have a concept of "sexual orientation;" if you're horny and your partner/s is/are willing, it's all good. While marital fidelity is not a concept in Saiyan culture (at all), a Saiyan will usually have one primary mate who shares their home and helps with childrearing. Some Saiyans will take two mates, but it's not a common practice because then you have three adult Saiyans (and their children) all in one place, sharing the same den, and this is basically a recipe for disaster.
> 
> Also, I'm ignoring the 2nd Bardock special for this one. It's cute and all, but makes zero sense plotwise.
> 
> Enjoy the gratuitous use of bold and italics! :D

Goku had managed to talk the Namekians into letting them use their Dragon Balls only because he'd assured them that their goal was to get rid of Frieza, who would eventually threaten their planet just like all the rest. Goku and Nappa brought the Namekian Dragon Balls together in twos and threes.

"Are they supposed to be this big, Kakarot?" Nappa grumbled. "It's kinda hard to keep a grip on 'em."

"The ones on Earth were a lot smaller," Goku replied. "Like the one on Gohan's hat."

"That was a regular stone that happened to be round," the older Saiyan scoffed.

"Only now that Kami and Piccolo are dead," Goku sighed. "Now. We need to summon the dragon, but Guru said it has to be done in Namekian."

A young Namekian walked up. "I am Nail. Guru has said that I am to translate your wishes for the dragon. What, exactly, are you going to ask for?"

Nappa got out the list, which he realized Goku couldn't read. Apparently they used a very different writing system on Earth.

"Okay," the old Saiyan said. "The word from base is that our prince is dead. So our first wish..."

* * *

"What do you mean, Vegeta's still alive?" Raditz screamed into the scouter. "He went into Frieza's office and never came out!"

"I don't know what to tell you, man," came Nappa's voice. "Frieza must be keeping him alive for some reason. All I know is, he isn't dead, so the dragon can't bring him back to life."

"Then wish that he gets strong enough soon to kill Frieza." Raditz wasn't sure if this was better or worse than Vegeta being dead. Yes, it meant they still had a prince, but on the other hand, Frieza was probably devising new methods of torture to use on Vegeta at that very moment.

"Oh, and we have two more wishes. Apparently the Dragon Balls work differently on Namek than on Earth."  
After a brief discussion (which, to non-Saiyans, would sound more like a shouting match), the three of them decided to restore the planet Vegeta (which worked) and all the Saiyans who'd died when the planet was destroyed (which didn't).

Fortunately, agreeing on which Saiyan to bring back, since it appeared they could only revive one, was simple. Bardock was probably going to be quite confused when he woke up on the surface of an empty planet, though. If he wasn't absolutely furious with them.

Still, it was the best they could do. Since they couldn't bring Bardock back to base without raising suspicion, Raditz and Nappa were going to have to de-brief him over the scouters. And it would be, hands down, the _weirdest_ debriefing in Saiyan history.

* * *

The debriefing did not go as well as Raditz had hoped. His first sign that things weren't going to go well happened within five seconds of making the call.

"Um, hello? Is this Bardock?"

"Yes," an angry, but familiar, voice responded. "Now tell me, who are you, what happened to Frieza, where did everybody go, and why do I have the worst fucking headache of my life?"

"Ok, this is going to sound kind of crazy, but here goes. I'm your son, Raditz. You were killed when the planet was destroyed, but Kakarot revived you with the Namekian Wish Orbs and brought the planet back so we could--"

"What the hell are you talking about? Raditz is only ten years old, and Kakarot was just sent on his first mission less than an hour ago. That's not enough time to get to any known star systems, let alone the backwater he was sent to."

"Wow. Um. It's actually been twenty years, father. A lot's happened while you were dead." Raditz tried to stay calm. This wasn't the best outcome, but he could work with this. Probably.

"Okay, back up. You're saying the reason I don't remember anything since Frieza arrived to destroy the planet is because I've been _dead_? For _two decades_? And there's a way to bring people back to life, but you only brought one of us back, and only after all this time?" Bardock clutched his temples, tail lashing violently. There were not enough painkillers on Vegeta for this.

"OK, here's the short version. Kakarot hit his head shortly after arriving on Earth, forgot his mission, and went native. We found him when Frieza sent officers to finish the job, and he told us that there used to be Namekian Wish Orbs on Earth. So Nappa and Kakarot were sent to Namek to wish everyone back, and it turns out that only one person can be restored to life at a time." Then, something his father had said finally registered in his mind. "Wait--did you say _Frieza_ destroyed our home? The official story was a meteor shower did it."

"Think, boy. Planets get hit by meteors all the time, and they don't disintegrate. And there were rumors that the next Super Saiyan had been born. Frieza's not going to just sit there and let any of his subject worlds become a threat to his power. If the prince is still alive, he probably figured out what really happened ages ago." After all, Vegeta had always been a bright kid. Raditz, on the other hand...well, hadn't inherited his father's intelligence. Or looks. Gine might have got him by someone else, actually, not that it mattered.

"That would explain Vegeta's plan. Although, I'm not sure how well it'll work with only 6 Saiyans, especially since one of 'em's still a little kid. Oh, I almost forgot to tell you, Kakarot's got a kid now. The brat looks just like he did when he was sent off."

"Figures. I lose out on the chance to be a father to Kakarot, only to suddenly end up a grandfather." Bardock shook his head at the irony. "Put him on. I'd like to talk to the little guy."

"Hey kid," Raditz said to the child who was still engrossed in drawing some kind of stick-figure scene. "Your grandpa wants to talk to ya." An eager Gohan grabbed the proferred scouter.

The Saiyan hadn't realized that an excited three-year-old _will not, ever,_ sit still or talk slowly. "Hi grandpa Bardock! My name's Gohan! My daddy and I grew up on a planet called Earth, but then some bad aliens came and killed Mommy an' took us to space. But it was OK, because then we met Uncle Raditz and Mr Nappa and Prince Vegeta, and they said they were Saiyans just like us! And Uncle Raditz says if I'm real good, I'll get to meet you once it's safe!" As he talked, Gohan jumped around the room, and Raditz was certain his father hadn't been able to get a word in edgewise. "An' uncle Raditz got me color sticks and my own armor an' he's training me to control my Oozaru, and he says I might be even stronger than Daddy one day! An' I'm s'posed to start lessons next year to learn all kindsa stuff, which is good because Mommy always wanted me to study hard so I can be an important scientist when I grow up!"

There was a moment of silence, presumably because Bardock was talking to the kid. Raditz waited patiently for the grandfather-grandson conversation to end. He hadn't seen Gohan this happy in the whole time he'd known his nephew.

On the other end of the line, Bardock had started to smile. This kid was a chatterbox just like Kakarot used to be as a kid. "Okay, Gohan, I need to talk to your uncle Raditz some more, so I'll see you when I can. Take care, kiddo."

"'Kay, bye Grandpa Bardock. I love you!" Gohan handed the scouter back to Raditz. "He says he needs to talk to you some more."

Raditz put the scouter back on. "So, basically, pops, here's why we picked you in particular to revive. We need someone who's an expert at both strategy and electronics, and you're the best any of us know."

"Heh. I kinda figured it wasn't sentimentality," quipped the older Saiyan. "After all, Toma was always the 'cool dad;' I was kind of a hardass."

"You are the kind of dad a man can be proud of, though," Raditz said. "I always was. Best damn dad on our planet or any other."

"Cut the ass-kissing and lemme know what we've got to work with."

Raditz spent the next half-hour outlining what he could remember of Vegeta's plan.

 

* * *

 

Raditz sighed and hung up. On the one hand, it was kind of nice to hear his father's voice again, and to see Gohan so happy for once.

Still, this was quite possibly the weirdest, most stressful day of Raditz's life. So few things had gone right, and while he'd managed not to blow up during the phone call, he still had the nagging feeling that everything was going to keep going more and more wrong. He went to the mess hall for dinner on autopilot and had to stop himself several times from snapping at the kid. After all, none of the changes in plans had been Gohan's fault, and screaming at him would just start the boy crying. In public. At full volume. What little mental energy Raditz had left was just enough to assure him that it would _not_ be worth the headache.

He decided the only way to blow off some steam was to head to the flesh district. Raditz waited until Gohan was safely asleep in the den, then quietly slipped out of the barracks.


	7. Chapter 7:  Rainbow in the Dark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Raditz finds Launch and accidentally creates a mating bond. This chapter is almost entirely smut--enjoy! ;D

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Here comes Launditz!! Remember that, just like in the show, she is not aware of her own split personality. And...given that I'm going with the common fanon of "Raditz is a manwhore," I think we can safely say that neither of them can really handle the other, LOL.

Raditz closed the door to the Saiyan quarters behind him as quietly as he could.

Good. He'd made it out without waking the boy. Now to head to one of the mammalian brothels. He'd been to the others many times before, enjoying the attentions of beings so different that Vegeta and Nappa had been utterly disgusted with him. Hells, he was pretty sure that some of those creatures didn't _have_ genitals, but they sure knew their way around his dick! But right now, he was in the mood for something more familiar. Comfortable.

There was a crowd gathered in front of one of his favorite "houses." Raditz heard snippets of conversations as he approached.

"You mean the planet from the purge a _month_ ago?" "Damn, that was fast." "I don't think Frieza's ever broken one that quickly!" "Guess she didn't have as much fight in her as he wanted."

Raditz pressed through the crowds to see which whore everyone was talking about. Sure enough, there was a woman kneeling by one of the windows, crying her eyes out--and she was dressed in the tell-tale loincloth of one of Frieza's personal "toys." Her hands were covering her face, but that dark, curly hair made Raditz want to run his fingers through it. Saiyans aren't known for their compassion, and it was totally unlike him to think this way, but...he wanted so badly to comfort the poor woman, to tell her that it wasn't so bad. At least this brothel wasn't one of the ones for soldiers who got off on sadism. Whores at The Red Cavern were kept healthy, and as beautiful as could be managed. The only thing she'd have to do was spread her legs a few times a night, and everything else about her life would be easy.

She sniffed and looked up to see the crowd ogling her. "Please, just go away! I-I just want to be alone..." Her voice trailed off as she saw the long-haired man in front of the window. He looked almost human, and there was something about his eyes...

Raditz took one look at the crying whore and was instantly smitten. Aside from the missing tail and curly hair, she looked almost Saiyan. And if she looked that pretty when she was bawling like that, then she must be breathtaking when she freshened up. The Saiyan immediately forced his way to the door and walked inside.

A couple of his usual picks walked up, smiling seductively. "Well, Raddy, good to see you back!" "Are you in the mood for a man or a woman today?" "Maybe both?"

Raditz gave the whores his most disarming smile. "Sorry guys, but I'm thinking I'd like to try the new girl tonight." This did not go over as well as he'd hoped.

"The new girl?" "Are you kidding?"

"Look, honey," Ellsprok (a lean male with blue fur) said, leaning against Raditz with his arm around the Saiyan's burly shoulder, "I know she looks sweet and all, but that girl is a real hellcat. Tried to poke out the madame's eyes yesterday, and if she weren't so weak, she'd have already torn apart one of our best customers the day before that! Well--" he backtracked, "one of our best besides _you_ , Raddy." His finger, claw retracted, traced a little circle on Raditz's breastplate.

Raditz grinned. "I _do_ like a challenge once in a while, Ell, you know that." Once, he'd paid double just to see Ell squirm and play the role of "innocent virgin who doesn't want to give it away too soon." That had been a night to remember.

"This is more than a challenge," a red-skinned woman laughed. "But hey, it's your funeral. I'll tell the madame and have her sent up right away."

* * *

  
Raditz didn't have to wait long before the new girl was brought into the room, head downcast, looking utterly defeated. _This is the hellcat everyone's been talking about?_ he thought. _What kind of sick joke are they playing?_

"Hey, come on! Ya just gonna sit there starin' at the ground?" The young woman sniffled, then sneezed. And that's when things got very interesting, from Raditz's perspective.

"Hey, fuck you. I didn't ask to be here!" the woman hissed, a new and dangerous fire in her eyes. "You think I _like_ having a bunch of perverts grabbin' at me all the time? Treating me like a piece of meat?"

"Hey, I'm the _last_ person to complain about a woman having some fight in her," Raditz commented. Damn, but this more aggressive side of her was turning him on. He'd probably end up with some new bruises tonight--and he'd love getting every one if it meant she'd let him between those perfect little legs.

"Quit looking at me like that! I oughtta rip your balls off," the woman said. _So feisty...so much like a Saiyan woman_ , Raditz thought. _This one might become my new favorite._

"Mmm, yeah, I bet you can really hold your own in a fight," Raditz said, pulling off his chest armor. "Come on then, hit me."

  
The woman pulled back and slugged him in the jaw. It was a weak punch, but the fury in her eyes really got Raditz going. His tail started moving of its own accord, wafting sex pheromones into the air.

Raditz chuckled. "Is that all you got, woman? Come on, put your whole body into it." And by the gods, she did. She wasn't nearly as strong as Raditz, or even Kakarot, but it didn't matter. The fury, the adrenaline, it was all driving Raditz completely mad with lust. Her behavior was so much like a typical Saiyan courtship, his instincts took control, tail waving massive amounts of calming pheromones along with a powerful musk. Some primal part of him was focused on soothing her beneath him before claiming her completely, and Raditz's conscious self was merely along for the ride now.

The long-haired Saiyan purred, catching her fists as she tried to hit him again and gently pushing her onto the bed. He crawled on top of her, cock straining against the thin layer of spandex between him and his quarry.

The woman was still struggling a little as Raditz bent his head to her neck. He was so intent on tasting her, breathing in her delicious feminine scent, that he didn't notice when she sneezed again.

 

Launch was confused. The last thing she remembered was being brought into the room, to have sex with yet another stranger--with the man she'd seen from the window. Now, she was under him, and he was licking her neck, and she had no idea what had happened in between. She must have had one of her blackouts again.

She did know that it was getting harder to think straight. Maybe it was something in the air...but all she could focus on was how good it felt to be under his body, the growing heat between her legs, and the desperate desire for him to touch and taste every inch of her.

 

Raditz smelled the arousal of the woman beneath him and grinned darkly. Now that the fight had gone out of her, he was ready to make this woman _scream_. He licked his way down to her perfect round breasts, squeezing and sucking them, and was gratified to hear her soft moans and feel her hips starting to buck up against him.

"Not yet, darlin'," he murmured. "Not until I get to taste you." He crawled down her body--how was her skin so soft and smooth, after being around Frieza?--and teasingly kissed her little tummy before he lifted up the loincloth to reveal his prize.

  
After a moment's pause to appreciate the sight of those thick black curls against her pale skin, Raditz buried his nose in them, surrounding himself with her sweet scent. By the gods, this was the best woman he'd had, and he was going to savor every last whimper and moan he could coax out of her. He gave a short, teasing lick.

Launch gasped. She couldn't remember ever having a man down there before...she'd dated Tien, sure, but the three-eyed martial artist had never done this. The man gave her another lick, then focused his attention on her clitoris--oh Kami! She couldn't remember the last time she'd known pleasure this intense. She groaned and buried her fingers in his long hair, holding his head down.

"Oh...please--please don't stop..." she begged, panting as he licked and sucked, drawing more pleasure out of her.

"The name's Raditz," he said, before giving her clit another good suck. "And I don't intend on stopping for a while."

"Mmm...I'm L-Launch..oh!" He'd just thrust his tongue inside her, as if to lick out every drop of her juices. "Raditz, please--I-I think I'm..." Raditz immediately returned to her clit, his fingers replacing his tongue inside her as he felt for her G-spot.

"Oh Kami, yes!" Launch came hard, coating Raditz's face in her juices. "Raditz! Raditz--I need..."

"I think I know what you need now, little Launch," Raditz purred, licking her wetness off his chin as he climbed back on top of her. He ripped off his spandex, freeing his massive length from its confinement.

The Saiyan's mouth covered hers as Raditz plunged deep into Launch's body, swallowing her moans. Raditz stopped moving his hips for a moment--women tended to need to adjust to his size, and it was much more fun to hear his partners screaming in pleasure rather than pain.

Fuck, she was so tight! Raditz had to fight to keep still until the movement of Launch's hips against his told him she was ready. Even then, he tried to keep his movements slow for now. There was no point in ending things quickly--he had plenty of time left to enjoy the feel of her and the delicious sounds she made.

Every thrust was heavenly. Launch was clinging to him with her arms and legs, kissing him desperately. And she was so wet inside, it was absolutely perfect. Raditz slid all the way in, slowly, teasing them both. Gods, she felt so good...He didn't know if he could hold back much longer.

Launch came again, moaning into her lover's mouth, and Raditz forgot about everything else. His thrusts became faster, harder, more erratic. He nipped gently at her earlobes, her neck. Nothing else mattered but this, the building tension as he neared completion, the woman coming undone in his arms, so hot...tight...so perfect...

His Saiyan blood was urging him to finish the mating sequence.

Spar.

Subdue.

Pacify.

Fuck.

_**Claim.** _

As he shot his seed into her willing body, Raditz bit down on the flesh between Launch's neck and shoulder. She was _his_ woman, dammit. She would warm his den, care for his cubs, fight beside him in battle. She would share in his pleasure and his pain. He would...wait. _Wait a fucking minute. Did I just claim her as my mate? I've known her for less than an hour!_

_:Raditz?:_ He heard a mental voice other than his own. Launch. _:What just happened? You bit me and...:_

  
"Shhh, it's all right, love," Raditz murmured. _Gods help me, I've actually tied myself down with a whore._ "I'll see about getting you out of here, and home with me." _I'll be the laughingstock of the squad for years!_

  
_Odd_ , Launch thought. _It almost feels like--he's in love with me, but ashamed of me. How can I feel what he's feeling like this?_ She felt Raditz lick the mating bite clean.

_Shitshitshit. Gotta think._ Raditz was sure of one thing at this point.

  
Tonight, he had well and truly fucked up.


	8. Chapter 8:  You Make Me Complete(ly Miserable)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Launch settles into her new life, and Vegeta has a very bad time.
> 
> Also, my betas decided not to respond, so I'm not sure if they've just been too busy to read this chapter yet or what. Posting it anyway, because it's been a week and I'm impatient for feedback, lol.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: If you're familiar with the fanon concept of Saiyan mating bites, then you know just how badly Raditz has screwed himself over. If you're not, then enjoy Exposition Time! Plus, you get to see some of my personal headcanons about Saiyan mating and family relationships, which are Not Like Human Marriage.
> 
> On the upside (for Launch at least), she's getting a new wardrobe, and she won't be living in a whorehouse anymore. The downside? Oh, there are a lot of downsides. Especially when Goku gets back.
> 
> (Also, I kinda headcanon that Raditz's bravado and know-it-all attitude are covers for some serious insecurity and self-loathing. I think we all know guys like that.)

"Okay," sighed Raditz, "I think I need to explain a few things." _Oh gods, now she's gonna be in my head for life. I don't want a woman in my head. Some days, I can barely stand having **me** in there!_

"What I just did," _because I'm a fucking idiot who let hormones take over at the worst possible time_ , "was form a mating bond with you. It's partly instinctive, but I've usually managed not to give into it. I'm not sure why, but basically having the bond means you're telepathically linked, for life, and can't break it. So, like it or not, you're kinda stuck with me."

Launch's eyes widened as she took in what he'd said (and the accompanying thoughts). "So, the worried feeling is from you, Mr. Raditz?"

"Please, just Raditz. If we're stuck with each other, we might as well be on a first-name basis. After all, you weren't calling me 'Mr.' a few minutes ago." Launch blushed at that. _Stupid, stupid, stupid, STUPID!! Can you fit your foot any further into your damn mouth?_

"Raditz, please. Don't beat yourself up over this. After all, it may not be what you wanted, but it's happened now. I'm sure you'll be a lot nicer to me than the people here." _Or Frieza_ , she thought, shuddering. _I don't think anyone's quite that cruel._

"True," Raditz chuckled, "but 'nicer than Frieza' isn't really saying much." They both laughed. "I'm a Saiyan, Launch. We're not exactly known for our gentleness and sweet words. We're warriors." Raditz sent mental images of the squad to her to help her get an idea of just what Saiyans were like.

Launch's jaw dropped. Just...not for the reason Raditz expected. "Mr. Goku is a Saiyan? I always thought he was from Earth!" _She knows_ _Kakarot,_ thought Raditz. _Of all the people who probably used to be on Earth, I run into one who knew my brother. It really is a small galaxy._

"Heh, well, he couldn't remember his life before his adoptive grandpa found him, so it's not surprising you'd think that. Anyway, we need to settle things with the madame, and get you a new wardrobe." _Not that I mind having my mate's beautiful body on display, but you'll probably get cold wearing that all the time._

Launch blushed and giggled. "I just hope she's not too angry."

 

The madame was not angry. She interrupted Raditz's explanation of what had happened with "Frankly, if you're still gonna pay me for the night, you can take her. It's not like she's making me that much money."

"You act like this happens all the time," Launch commented.

"Missy," the madame said, "Saiyans aren't the only ones with weird mating-bonds. I'm just glad it doesn't happen any more often than it does. This is the first time in a couple years that I know of.

"I'm still surprised it was _this_ Saiyan, though," she mused. "Raditz is one of my best customers. He's never had problems with his self-control before."

Launch decided it might be better not to comment on the apparent contradiction between "Raditz spends a lot of time in brothels" and "Raditz has good self-control." It was probably some kind of cultural thing.

The madame loaned Launch a cloak to help cover herself with until she got some more suitable clothes. "Just don't forget to stop by to return that. It's one of my favorites."

 

* * *

 

Two hours of shopping later, Launch felt much better--especially since she wasn't so exposed. She stretched a bit, enjoying the feeling of her new tank top and shorts moving with her. This was similar enough to the clothes she'd worn on Earth that it made her feel slightly less homesick. The shorts were Spandex, though.

Raditz had to admit, his new mate looked just as sexy fully-clothed as she had clad only in that loincloth. He hoped she was ready for another round when they got home, because he wanted to rip that outfit off of her in the worst way.

_Mmm, and maybe when we go back to the Red Cavern, I can pay for a nice little session with Ell and Cadda and we can take turns making Launch scream_. After all, there was no way in HFIL that Raditz was giving up the occasional nights at the brothels--but he had a feeling his mate would take it badly if he went alone.

Launch suddenly stopped and turned beet-red. A stray image had just floated into her head of Raditz pounding her into the bed--and behind him was that red-furred alien, doing the same to Raditz.  "What--did you just-- _what_?" She wasn't sure whether to be angry, ashamed, or turned on. Tien certainly hadn't been interested in anything like that. She'd never even thought of such a thing, herself.

Raditz bowed his head sheepishly--which, though Launch didn't know it yet, was totally out of character for the cocky Saiyan warrior. "Well, if you're not into it, we don't have to do that, exactly. I just kinda figured we--"

"We just got married, and you're already thinking about sex with someone else? I didn't think you'd regret this already." This was the point at which Raditz realized that "marriage" probably meant something very different to Earthlings. Were they one of those species that did the whole exclusive-mating thing? He knew there were some of those, sure, but-- _Just another reason I shouldn't have just mated without thinking, really._

"Okay, clearly I need to explain Saiyan culture to you, because I think something's getting lost in translation.

"You are my mate. That means we share our home and den, we raise the children you bear together, and you're basically considered part of the family. Is that part familiar to you so far?" He watched for Launch's nod before continuing. "Well, while we usually prefer to share the pleasures of sex with our mates, sometimes we want to share it with someone else, too, just to keep things interesting. Like how you need to eat different meals, instead of the same thing all the time. We're still bonded to our mates; why would sex change that?"

"On Earth, when you marry someone, you're not supposed to have sex with anyone else! It's considered an insult, like they weren't good enough for you. There's even a lot of people who don't have sex at all until they're ready to get married, for religious reasons. It's a very special act for us." Other facts trickled through the bond. Apparently, one of the reasons Earth marriages were so restricted was because they wanted to be sure of the paternity of children--to the point that if a woman had another man's child, in most Earth cultures, it was considered grounds for divorce by her husband. Suspicious couples would call a private detective to find out if their spouse was "cheating." And, apparently, a threeway with your spouse and somebody else wasn't common Earth practice at all.

"Men would leave their women for bearing another man's--well, that explains a lot. In Saiyan culture, your children are _yours_ , and since we're mated, they'd be considered mine too--even if they were sired by another man. Having and raising strong children is important, since we tend to die in battle at a fairly young age. Or, at least, we did. Our planet was destroyed, and there are only a handful of us left." 

Launch softened at Raditz's glum look upon remembering his own race's demise. "Raditz, it's okay. If--if this is how things are out here, then of course I'll respect your customs. It's just...well, it's a big adjustment for me. I'm sure I'll learn to be the mate you wanted, in time. I just don't think I'm ready for that sort of thing yet, if that's okay?"

 

* * *

 

  
Meanwhile, Vegeta was doing his best to hold up under Frieza's ministrations, silently waiting for the other shoe to drop. After all, the frequent beatings and the fucking loincloth he had to wear were humiliating enough, but Frieza had threatened something far more...intimate.

"Zarbon, your performance during the mission on Planet Frieza-457 was more than satisfactory." The tyrant's eyes narrowed and turned to Vegeta as he spoke, a sadistic grin on your face. "I think you've earned a little reward."

Two of Frieza's lackeys brought the Saiyan forward. The ki restraints on his wrists had been shackled to the collar, just tightly enough that he couldn't lash out or hit anyone with his full strength. He wasn't sure what the device attached to his tail was supposed to do, but he was pretty damned sure it wasn't simply the decorative jewelry it looked like.

"Anything else, Lord Frieza?"

"Chain the monkey down. I don't want him getting away and ruining the show." Vegeta growled upon hearing this, his tail bristling.

"If I weren't in these restraints," the Saiyan prince spat at his captor, "you would already be dead." He was forced to bow his head so that the grunts around him could attach his collar to an additional chain in the floor, ending up on his hands and knees. The bristling tail swished angrily back and forth.

Frieza merely laughed.

The Saiyan's posture and Frieza's love of humiliating his new "pet" told Zarbon everything he wanted to know about his reward. "Thank you, Lord Frieza. But I think I'll stay on this end." He approached Vegeta's head, then bared his cock. "After all, I don't know where the monkey's ass has been."

Vegeta suddenly realized the exact nature of his humiliation for today. "How dare you? I'm an Elite-class warrior, not some whore for you to--" He was cut off with a slap to the face.

"Enough of that, monkey," Zarbon scolded him. "And if you even think of biting down, I will burst your head open like a ripe melon."

Vegeta sighed and began sucking. What would his squad say if they knew? What would his father, the King, say if he saw his son reduced to this? They would pay for this. As soon as he got free, they would all pay.


	9. Chapter 9: And So I'm Praying For The End Of Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Launch sneezes and causes havoc. Vegeta is traumatized. And Gohan is adorable.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Well, y'all, my laptop died when I was halfway done with this chapter, so I had to start it ALL OVER. Fortunately, I remember just enough of what was going on that I could reconstruct it. It's a bit messy and disjointed, but y'all have been waiting so long, I figured I'd post it now and fix it later.
> 
> As for the whole psychic-mating-thing, I justify it because it's been shown in-canon that Saiyans can learn to communicate telepathically. Since in my headcanon, a mating bite involves a transfer of both blood and a bit of ki, Raditz can therefore send feelings and impressions to Launch. He's not a skilled telepath, though, so sending an exact message instead of just whatever he's feeling at the moment takes a lot of focus.
> 
> Also, "kaffa" = space-coffee, more or less. Because tasty caffeinated drinks are something damn-near every civilization is gonna want.

 

From his corner in Frieza's office, Vegeta groaned and coughed up another wad of slime. Apparently, in Zarbon's species, it was the male, not the female, that produced lubrication for sex. This meant a lot of mucus, an unpleasant aftertaste, and Vegeta could swear it was moving around in there. It didn't help that when Zarbon's release finally came, it had been every bit as thick and slimy as the mucus.

But the worst of it had been that Zarbon's penis was prehensile and worm-like.  Vegeta had had to put something that reminded him of _worms_ in his mouth.  That was a memory that was going to stay with him.

The prince of the Saiyans, still chained down, huddled on the floor, trembling, in the fetal position.  He had to get out of here.  He had to get the _fuck_ out of here.

 

* * *

 

 

Launch awoke when a strand of hair in her face caused her to sneeze.  She sat up, yawning, and realized...this was not her bed.  She was not in the brothel anymore.  But then, where was she?

There was a lot of hair to one side of her.  She grabbed a strand and tugged on it.

"Ow!  What--" Raditz sat up, saw who was pulling his hair, and grinned.  "Well, love, if you wanted to play rough, you could have just told me."  This got him a slap in the face from Launch.

"What the fuck am I doing here, and why am I in your bed?  And who's that kid?" she asked, pointing at Gohan.  "Because I'm pretty sure it's not mine!"

Raditz tilted his head.  "You really don't remember anything that happened last night?"

"Last--" Launch's eyes widened in shock.  "Don't tell me I actually slept with you?"  At this, Raditz visibly flinched.  Then, a feeling of pain and rejection suddenly entered Launch's head, along with a jumbled collection of images...

 

_Launch went to bed, snuggling close to Raditz as she fell asleep..._

_"You are my mate."_

_Launch's face contorted in ecstasy..._

_"I think I know what you need, little Launch,"_

_Launch picking a shirt from a clothing-store rack..._

_"Oh Raditz!"_

_" I'm sure you'll be a lot nicer to me..."_

 

"What...how did you do that?  What's going on?"  Launch held her head.  Those feelings, those memories...they weren't hers!  Every last one had been from someone else's perspective.  What kind of monster was this guy?

"It's the mating bond," Raditz replied.  "Basically, we're stuck with each other, whether we like it or not."  As strong as he was compared to the Earthling woman, Raditz was loath to harm his mate--especially since there weren't any Saiyan women around to replace her.

Meanwhile, the ruckus had awakened Gohan.  "Uncle Raditz?  Who's that lady?  Did you have your grown-up alone time again?"  Gohan was only three, and had no idea what it was grownups did alone together, but he'd figured out that whatever it was usually made them feel really happy afterward.  But Raditz and the woman didn't look happy at all!  Why were they so mad?

"'Til death do us part,' eh?" Launch asked.  Raditz nodded.  That's when Launch did something neither of them expected.

She bolted out of the room.  


* * *

 

 

"Hey."

  
Bulma put a hand on the trembling Saiyan and gently shook him.  "Are you ok?  You seem a little shaken up."

"Worms...." Vegeta muttered, still staring dead ahead.  "Why did it have to be _worms_ , of all things?"

Frieza laughed.  "Ho ho ho!  So the mighty Prince of Saiyans is afraid of worms!  How fascinating!"  The tyrant was clearly enjoying the extra edge of humiliating Vegeta with a subordinate whose penis reminded the Saiyan of his greatest fear.

 

* * *

 

 

By the time Raditz caught up to his new mate, Launch had already managed to find a kitchen knife.

"Don't come any closer, hairball, or I'll gut ya like a fish," she said, brandishing her new weapon.

"You wouldn't," Raditz smirked.  The smile fell when he realized that she was deadly serious.  "Would you?"

"Don't hurt my uncle Raditz!" Gohan cried, leaping up to grab Launch's arm.

Raditz took the opportunity to grab the knife out of the Earthling's hand in the confusion.  "You're not strong enough to actually kill me, you know.  I saw your ki levels on my scouter yesterday, and I'm over 70 times as strong as you are."

Launch stared in shock, mouth hanging open.  Seventy times as strong?

"I think you broke her," Gohan said.

Raditz sighed.  "Now, sit down, I'll make us a cup of kaffa, and we can sort this out.  First of all, what happened to your hair?"


End file.
